Check that expiration date!

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

PRINCETON — The Princeton Chamber of Commerce wants to bring its gift certificate program back into local hands.

On Monday, Chamber Director Erika Robbins said there have been some issues with the gift certificate program, which is now handled by CertifiChecks Inc., headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. The company, which prints and manages the certificates, has placed expiration dates on the certificates, which are strictly enforced. If the expiration date is passed, the certificate money goes back to the company. Certificates could only be issued for certain amounts. Also, there is an extra cost to the Chamber for shipping and handling, and the certificates may not be shipped to Princeton as quickly as needed.

Robbins said she will make a proposal at next week’s Chamber Board meeting to bring the certificate program back for local handling, through the Chamber and local financial institutions. As far as the future use of expiration dates on new gift certificates, she is researching on whether those expiration dates are required or not, Robbins said.

The Chamber does not have an extended contract with CertifiChecks and may choose to end the relationship at any time, Robbins said.

“We used to handle the gift certificates locally, and I think for a small Chamber like ours, it would be best to go back to handling the gift certificates ourselves,” Robbins said. “People have been used to the flexibility that we previously had locally.”

Robbins estimated the Chamber typically issues about $90,000 a year in gift certificates. The gift certificate program is very beneficial to Chamber members as well as to those people giving and receiving those certificates, Robbins said.

For now, Robbins encouraged people holding Chamber gift certificates to check the expiration dates and to use those certificates before they expire.

Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.